Crashing waves. Dreamy ocean views. Stylish and sandy beach clubs. We’re dreaming of Bali’s best beaches.
Lost afternoons on Seminyak. Just-caught shellfish on Jimbaran. Enthralling surf breaks on black-sand Canggu. And chilled bottles of Bintang and fresh coconut shakes everywhere you turn. Bali has a beach for every mood.
Become a free spirit in beautiful Bali
Surf, sand, sun – what to expect in Bali
Scattered like seeds across balmy tropical waters, Indonesia sprawls with more than 18,000 islands. Some are pinprick size with barely a footprint marking the sand. Others are bound by crashing surf breaks with desolate white sand and just the odd hotel. But Bali is without doubt its star. Whether you’re searching for wild nights and pounding surf, serene beach days or an escape from the ordinary, it always comes back to beautiful Bali. Where kaleidoscopic blues and greens tame long wild stretches of sand. Where free-spirited fun, spirituality and adventure can be found almost everywhere. And where ocean views come with a side of peachy sunsets.
Bali beach guide
Free spirits and sun lovers
The Island of the Gods conjures visions of green and serene paddy fields, swish hotels and thundering surf. A sort of traveller’s utopia that’s at once an Eden-like province and a hedonistic HQ drawing a stylishly unkempt crowd. They come here to surf, sunbathe and relax on its beaches – of which there are dozens to seek out. Remember Bali is a volcanic island and many of its beaches are black or a greyish hue but that doesn’t detract from their overarching beauty and stunning sunsets. And the good news? Bali is beautiful all year round with temperatures hovering around 30°C. Rainy season is officially October to March but there are still plenty of sunny days. The dry season is from April to September, though hotel rates (and flights) rise dramatically, particularly in June, July and August.
And this being Bali, everything is perfectly set up for travellers, whether you’re a shoestring backpacker doing everything on the cheap. Or an ultra-luxe traveller going high-end all the way. Hotels, hostels, all-singing all-dancing resorts are scattered around the popular beaches, some with private beaches, others with deep green pools where swimmers dangle their feet in the water.
Top six beaches in Bali
You’ve arrived on the Island of the Gods and packed all your beach gear. But where do you go for the quintessential Bali beach experience? We’ve scoured the island to bring you the ultimate guide to the best beaches in Bali.
Kuta Beach
Top tourist spot
Denpasar Airport: approximately 5km
The unofficial HQ of tourism in Bali, packed with hawkers doling out beers and barbecued chicken to travellers idling on rented sunbeds and surfers fresh out the waves. Don’t even think about leaving until after dark: the sunsets here are truly the stuff of travel legend.
Seminyak Beach
Grown-up party scene
Denpasar Airport: approximately 9km
Over on Seminyak, rippling north from Kuta, the vibe evolves into something slicker and cooler, where travellers come to roll out their towels for long, lost afternoons in stylish beach clubs. Lined with plush hotels whose restaurants spill out onto the sands, it’s more of a grown-up version of the island’s notorious party scene. All icy cocktails, clusters of parasols, blissed-out Balearic beats and gem-blue pools.
Nusa Dua Beach
Beach of your dreams
Denpasar Airport: approximately 9.5km
Located on the southern tip of Bali, Nusa Dua is the Bali beach of your imagination. A two-mile sweep of bone-white sand, tempered by balmy turquoise waters that’s immaculately tended by the luxury resorts sitting pretty here. Families descend on its private beaches and out in the azure water. Surfers flop on their boards, sun on their shoulders, waiting for the perfect wave.
Sanur Beach
Authentic Indonesia
Denpasar Airport: approximately 16km
There’s a charming authenticity to this dreamy 5km stretch on the island’s south coast. It’s chilled and low-key, without the brashness of Kuta and the polished appeal of Nusa Dua. Travellers hang over the side of wooden boats, staring into the inky swells as they catch a ride to the outlying island of Nusa Lembongan. Swimmers linger in the water before capping off the day with a Bintang and fresh coconut juice.
Jimbaran Bay Beach
Seafood spot
Denpasar Airport: approximately 9.3km
Mellow waves and unparalleled sunset views are just the start of the thrills on this beach on the southern coast. But it’s the seafood restaurants lining the shore that put Jimbaran on the map. As night falls, the haze of barbecue smoke billows across the golden sands as kitchens fire up the grills for the haul of seafood caught that day. Huddle around a folding table and dig in.
Echo Beach (Canggu)
Surfer’s paradise
Denpasar Airport: approximately 18.5km
This surfers’ paradise has become a mainstay for Bali’s legions of digital nomads and expats who have flocked to the island in recent years. But despite its wild popularity, Canggu’s easy breezy scene remains palpable along its stretch of sun-blushed black sand and surfy hangouts where travellers sip green juices and tap about on laptops. As for the surf. It’s foamy and thrilling with waves that’ll test even die-hard surfers.
Top travel tips:
Rent a scooter to get around Bali quickly and easily.
Pack light and bring comfortable beachwear, sunscreen, and a hat.
Be aware of strong currents and rip tides when swimming in the ocean.
Azure waters. Foamy swells. Blissed-out beach hangouts. Bali’s beaches are the ultimate sandy playground for free spirits and sun lovers. Time to get booking.
Thinking of exploring Bali’s best beaches? Skyscanner can help you find the best flights, hotels and car hire deals for your next trip.
